title: Impact of gestational hypertension on left ventricular function and geometric pattern.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of gestational hypertension on left ventricular (LV) function in previously normotensive young women has not been evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 106 gestational hypertensive women (GHW, 32.3 ± 4.2 years) and 93 normotensive pregnant women (NPW, 30.2 ± 4.4 years) were enrolled. Transthoracic echocardiography, including 2-dimensional strain echocardiography, was done and myocardial performance (Tei index), LV mass index (LVMI), and relative wall thickness (RWT) were analyzed. GHW had significantly increased wall thickness (interventricular septum, 9.5 ± 0.9 mm vs. 8.8 ± 1.0 mm, P < 0.001; posterior wall, 9.0 ± 1.1 mm vs. 8.5 ± 1.1 mm, P = 0.007; and RWT, 0.39 ± 0.06 vs. 0.35 ± 0.05, P = 0.02), higher LVMI (95.6 ± 17.3g/m² vs. 86.1 ± 14.5g/m², P = 0.03), longer isovolumetric relaxation time (117.7 ± 18.2 ms vs. 82.3 ± 12.6 ms, P = 0.003), lower E/A ratio (1.00 ± 0.29 vs. 1.27 ± 0.33, P = 0.002), and higher Tei index (0.48 ± 0.23 vs. 0.33 ± 0.13, P = 0.003) compared to NPW. Global longitudinal LV strain, representing LV systolic function, was also significantly reduced in GHW compared with NPW (-17.6 ± 2.95% vs. -21.2 ± 2.14%, P = 0.02). A total of 62% of GHW (n = 66) had abnormal geometry, of whom, 42 (40%) had eccentric hypertrophy (EH). A total of 93% of NPW (n = 86) had normal geometry, and only 7 NPW (7%) had abnormal geometry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GHW had aggravated diastolic and longitudinal systolic dysfunction. GHW had increased LVMI with the abnormal geometric pattern of EH. The reversibility of these morphological and functional impairments after delivery needs to be clarified.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Maryknoll Medical Center, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-Im
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Seong-Man
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi-Seung
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Eui-Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun-Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hae-Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Sung-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Se-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Jung-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography; D025401:Echocardiography, Stress; D005260:Female; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013599:Systole; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult